Coordinates: 51°28′N 1°37′W / 51.47°N 1.62°W
| Aldbourne | |
.png)  Aldbourne
Aldbourne shown within Wiltshire |
|
| OS grid reference | |
|---|---|
| Unitary authority | Wiltshire |
| Ceremonial county | Wiltshire |
| Region | South West |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Police | Wiltshire |
| Fire | Wiltshire |
| Ambulance | Great Western |
| EU Parliament | South West England |
| List of places: UK • England • Wiltshire | |
Aldbourne is a large village and civil parish in the English county of Wiltshire in the United Kingdom.
Contents |
Local government
Aldbourne is a civil parish with an elected parish council. It also falls within the area of the Wiltshire Council unitary authority, which is responsible for all significant local government functions.
Location
Aldbourne is located in a valley in the south slope of the Lambourn Downs, a part of the North Wessex Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. From here an unnamed winterbourne flows to join the River Kennet 4 miles south near the village of Ramsbury.
Nearby towns and cities: Hungerford, Marlborough, Newbury, Swindon
Nearby villages: Lambourn, Ogbourne St. George, Ogbourne St. Andrew, Mildenhall
Church of St Michael
The Church of St Michael is a medieval Anglican parish church and a Grade I listed building [1], overlooking the village green. The nave and aisles were built around 1200, although some earlier Norman arches and other traces remain. Oddly, there are four arches on the north arcade and three on the south. There is an Early English chancel, with north and south chapels, and a sanctuary with lancet windows.
The church was extended in the 15th century in the Perpendicular style. In 1460, the 3-stage ashlar tower was added; it has angle buttresses and transomed 3-light bell openings, with gargoyles above. There are also transepts with 3-light windows, a tall south porch - originally 2-storey - and a bay between the porch and south transept. There was also formerly a north porch. The external walls are of flint and limestone with some chequer work and sarsen, and are crenellated. The roofs are lead and slate. The interior contains a range of monuments and brasses.
History
The first tuned hand-bells were developed in Aldbourne by the brothers Robert and William Cor between 1696 and 1724.
Easy Company of the US 101st Airborne Division was based at Aldbourne in the weeks before D-Day. 'Easy Company' was featured in the HBO series Band of Brothers.
In 1971 the village was used as a location for the BBC science-fiction drama Doctor Who, in a series entitled The Daemons.
People
People from Aldbourne are nicknamed "Dabchicks", after the Little Grebe. This is said to have begun as an insult by the residents of nearby Ramsbury, but it has been adapted as a badge of pride.
Aldbourne is the home of the Aldbourne Band, an award winning brass band which has won many national competitions. [2]
See also
References
- ^ Images of England — details from listed building database (310499)
- ^ home page of aldbourne-band.co.uk
- Pevsner, Nikolaus (1963). The Buildings of England:Wiltshire. Penguin Books.
External links
Aldbourne Community Website - [1]
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